The Fellowship Council (FC) supports the use of survey and data requests for research purposes and does make an effort to screen each request for quality. The Fellowship Council acts as a conduit for these efforts and if there are questions about the content, please contact [email protected] with your inquires and comments.
To distribute a survey via the FC or to request FC data, click on the following link(s).
Download the Survey Distribution application
Download the Data Request application
To view research about the Fellowship Council, see the Bibliography here.
Please note that beginning August 1, 2023, the FC implemented the new data request policy below. Access the full PDF version of the new policy and application.
The Fellowship Council (FC) supports the use of data for research purposes and may act as a conduit for these efforts. Requests for data must be submitted to the FC Research Committee with final approval by the FC Executive Committee.
Review Method:
The Research Committee will review submissions and choose the top 3 projects. The requests will then be reviewed by the Executive Committee for final approval. The 3 projects who receive approval from the Executive Committee will have the requested data distributed to them. In the case that the top 3 projects are cancelled, an alternate 3 projects will be selected for review by the Executive Committee. The FC Research Committee and Executive Committee may exercise the right to combine projects if the subject material overlaps.
If a request is denied, the request may be resubmitted in another submission period. PDs and non-FC PDs are allowed to submit multiple requests in a single submission period.
Sponsoring societies and the FC Executive Committee will not be subject to the same process. Sponsoring societies will continue to be allowed 1 free request per year, as per the fee matrix, and be able to submit additional requests throughout the year. The FC Executive Committee may request data throughout the year. In the event that more information is required during the Research Committee or Executive Committee review phase, FC staff will request the information.
Addenda: Requestors may seek addenda if relevant to their original request. For example, if the addendum is an additional year of case log or fellow data, it will be reviewed by the Research Committee Chair. If the addenda is tangential to the original request but requires a new query, it will be subject to the full approval process of the Research Committee and Executive Committee.
Fellow requests: If FC fellows request data, the top 3 fellow requests will not be charged according to the fee matrix below.
Entities that May Request Data
The following FC entities may request FC data:
- FC Committees and Task Forces
- FC Program Directors
- FC Fellows
The following non-FC entities may request FC data:
- FC Sponsoring Societies
- Foundation for Surgical Fellowships
Examples of Data
Process of Review
The FC understands that well-developed research projects can be important, thus, we want to ensure that each research project will be well designed and meaningful to the FC.
Guidelines for Research Project
The application must include the following:
- The hypothesis that your project has been designed to test/aim of your research should be stated clearly and should be of importance to the field of surgery.
- Specify the data that is being requested. Note: The FC does not release identified data.
- Specify the study design, and more specifically, how the data will be used including statistical support, rationale, methods, and sample size calculations.
- IRB Approval or Exemption: The Principal Investigator of the project needs to be aware of and comply with human subject research requirements of their institution if applicable. Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval or a letter of exemption from the IRB must be included with this application form. Please note that our review does not substitute for or constitute the equivalent of IRB approval. Please be sure that when you send in the application that you have IRB approval (or exemption) from your institution if applicable.
- If accepted, the applicant must complete a Data Use Agreement before data will be released. The FC must always be acknowledged and cited in any published manuscripts where the data has been utilized (this is not the same as “endorsement”, please see below) and the agreement will include the required language to be used in any published manuscripts
- The FC and the participating centers are the sources of the data used herein; they have not verified and are not responsible for the statistical validity of the data analysis or the conclusions derived by the authors.
Results of Project
The FC requires a written report of the project results or the status of the study within 12 months of distribution of the data. The FC is trying to maximize the use of data and streamline increased data requests. The Council must also minimize the time constraints placed on The FC Committees and administrative staff who oversee the management of data.
Request for Publication Process:
- FC Committee Projects-Data request applications will be reviewed by the Research Committee and then the Executive Committee. If approved, the Committee overseeing the project will provide updates to the Research Committee. The Committee must submit abstracts to the Research Committee for review and approval. The final draft of the manuscripts must be submitted to both the Research Committee and Board of Directors for review and approval prior to submission to a journal and then must also submit the final edit after journal acceptance before submission for publication.
- Non-FC Projects/Entities- Data request applications will be reviewed by the Research Committee and then the Executive Committee. Any resulting abstracts or manuscripts must be submitted to both the Research Committee and Board of Directors for review and approval prior to submission. If approved, the non-FC entity can then submit the manuscript to journals with an endorsement from the FC. The final edit after journal acceptance before submission for publication must be submitted to both the Research Committee and Board of Directors for review and approval and if approved, must include the FC endorsement language. If it is not approved by the FC, the manuscript may be sent back for editing or, at the authors’ discretion, submitted to the journal without the use of the FC endorsement language the manuscript. The FC reserves the right to submit an editorial or manuscript addressing the findings and claims from the non-FC entity.